This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. The overall goal of this project is to develop and implement novel approaches for studying brain function that capitalize on the recent availability of a 7 Tesla whole body MRI system at the resource. In particular, arterial spin labeled (ASL) perfusion MRI should benefit from ultra-high field due to the dual benefits of increased sensitivity and longer T1 that together produce a theoretical 4-fold increase in ASL signal as compared to 3 Tesla. However, to realize this potential gain, TRD2 needs to develop strategies to address challenges in B0 and B1 inhomogeneity and SAR deposition. We also propose to use the increased sensitivity to BOLD contrast for real-time fMRI. Technical validation will be complemented by collaborative and service projects with applications in cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, addictions, and brain mapping. The technology development and validation being carried out in TRD2 is driven by the need to accurately measure tissue perfusion, a critical biological parameter. Disorders of perfusion account for most of the medical morbidity mortality in the western world (MI, stroke, PVD) and perfusion is also a biomarker of regional tissue function in the brain and other organs. Accordingly, the activities of TRD2 are driven by the desire to measure a fundamental physiological function. This motivation is exemplified by 2 Driving Biomedical Projects that will benefit from TRD2 activities in ASL technology development for human CBF quantification both at 7T and at 3T, as well as from future efforts to implement ASL for animal models at 9.4T.